Fateful Days
by cansomeonethiswierdreallyexist
Summary: Lucy is plagued by nightmares. Will They ever stop? Or will they help her realize something


Fateful Days

Lucy Heartifilia sighed, remembering the troubling events that had transpired aver the last ten or so months. Almost ten months ago, Lucy and the others (i.e. Natsu, Erza, Laxus, Cana, Wendy, Carla, Happy, Panther Lily, Levy, Gajeel, Grey, and the third master of the guild Fairy Tail, Makarov) were finally able to return after being in a literal tear in time of the island sacred to Fairy Tail, Tenroujima. Just four months later, the accident over the Infinity Clock happened. Those events made Lucy want to do two things: weep, and cower in fear. Although she put on a brave face, on the inside, however, was falling apart, especially when she was being sacrificed.

_Stop it…_ Lucy told herself in the midst of a slight shudder. _That's all done now. Just focus on catching these bandits with Natsu, so you can be home by nightfall. _

Truth be told, Lucy did not want to come. For once, she had no plans. Nor did she even care that possibly, the most destructive person in the world was just up ahead, grinning like the maniac he really is. Nay, Lucy just wanted to be in her bed, to suffer in the comfort of her own home, alone. She had always done this; ever since she was a little girl. She stifles her misery and sorrow until she is ready, which is always when no one is around to hear her cry.

"Hoy, Lucy!" said a voice in front of her. "We're making camp for the night."

Natsu's voice jolted Lucy out of her memory induced trance.

"What!?" Lucy exclaimed, her shock barely masking her dread. She looked around. The sun was already disappearing over the horizon. _Where has this day gone?_ Lucy wondered with hints of awe and terror flickering through her mind. When she saw Natsu studying her face with utter curiosity and concern, she hastily added " I was so caught up in my thoughts, I didn't realize it was getting so late. "

That appeared to be hardly satisfactory for Natsu, who was going to pry a bit more, but the blue cat, Happy, interrupted "Aye Sir! Natsu, let's go get some fish."

Natsu gave a dejected sigh. "Let's go. Lucy-" he cut himself off, grabbing a large branch off the nearest tree and pointed to a clearing a couple feet off the trail. Then Natsu did something that would have made a passerby question their sanity: he blew fire from his mouth, causing the edge of the stick to catch fire. "Go over there and start a fire and kinda set up camp. We're going to get us some grub. We'll get some for you too, 'kay?"

Lucy huffed. "Fine. Just make sure the fish is cooked." She eyed Happy wearily. "I mean you, cat."

Before the duo could react, Lucy took Natsu's backpack and flaming stick and walked away, scowling as she heard Happy call her a crazy fat lady. Then the combination of pink and blue heads disappears into the foliage.

"I'm exhausted!" Lucy complained. "But I can't go to sleep- I just can't." With that declaration she set up camp: made sure the fire was burning as crazily as the person who made it out of thin air, laid out all of the sleeping bags, taking special care to place hers far from the others. She couldn't possibly risk them knowing…

Within minutes, the camp was done. The moon was still so low… Lucy definitely needed to entertain herself. Searching through her bag for the things she had brought just for this occasion: paper, a large stack of it, and a pen. Reaching into the deepest of her creative reserve in her mind, she soon found a tale to write.

Hours passed like this. Before the aspiring writer knew it, the moon had already reached its peak. Then, Lucy realized: she hadn't written to her mama today. Grabbing a fresh sheet of paper, she started her letter to no one.

_ Dear mama,_

_They're happening again. Even four months after infinity clock, the nightmares are plaguing my thoughts, my dreams. They did start to get better, then, my near sacrifice gave them new fuel._

_I have seen such terrible things, mama. What ifs I thought at the time happed, and creates an outcome that is worse than one could even imaging. Even though I've had them for almost ten months now, they're even harder to bear now, because there are more friends, people of whom I care about._

_The thing is, I don't know what to d_

With that written, Lucy's eyes drooped heavily, and fell asleep, still hunched over the letter.

Natsu and Happy soon arrived at camp, disappointed because they caught not a single fish. When Natsu saw Lucy, his face softened.

She was hunched over, dead asleep, a large stack of paper. It appeared as though she was trying not to fall asleep, or maybe she started writing as a way to kill time and just got carried away.

When Natsu tried to get a better look at his close friend, he saw, to his dismay, that she was writing a letter to her dead mama. If it was a story on that paper, he would have read that in a heartbeat. But not one of those letters. Although Natsu was one of the biggest snoops in the guild, he couldn't bear reading those letters, they were just so… private.

Sighing, he took the pen out of Lucy's hand and put the paper (not even peeking at its contents) next to her sleeping bag.

_I wonder why it's so far away._ Natsu wondered. Then he realized that the letter was most likely the reason.

He then picked up his friend and placed her in a lying position in her bag, zipped it up and the left for his mat, completely unaware of what his teammate was going through.

Lucy woke with a start. With a large feeling of dread, she knew that she wasn't in reality. Her hands and feet were gone, long absorbed into the lacrima that powered the infinity clock. Natsu had just been sent into oblivion by Brain II. Despair lodged in her throat. She knew that Natsu would never get out of the fish like machine. A sudden burst of energy occurred from the clock. Every one of her friends and foes saw themselves at their most vulnerable moment: whether it's in the past or future. Erza was back, being tortured at the tower of heaven, having just lost her eye. Gray was cornered with Juvia by dragon like creatures. Gajeel was trapped in a dragon graveyard. Wendy saw her original guild disappear. Happy saw Natsu and his guild grieve over the death of his mom. Panther Lily found himself no longer large as he was in Edolas. Carla found herself distraught when she remembered her 'mission'.

One by one, she saw her friends, in their weakened state, fall. She watched them all die. Just as the last of her body was being absorbed, Lucy let the most blood curdling, heart -broken scream… and truly woke up.

"Lucy! Lucy, wake up" Natsu cried, shaking his crying and screaming friend. "You're having a bad dream, whatever you are seeing IS. NOT. REAL. Wake up, Lucy." He was getting desperate. When he noticed her eyes, still streaming tears, jerk open, he hugged his best friend close.

"Lucy…" Natsu looked at Lucy with concern in his expression. He did not need to say that he wanted an explanation.

Lucy had stopped crying by then, so she launched into an explanation. Her voice, barely a whisper, was shaky and shallow. "Ever since Tenrou Island, I have been having dreams. Terrible nightmares, actually." She fumbled around. When she had found what she was looking for she handed it to Natsu. He gasped. Lucy never let him read her letters to mama, let alone wanted him to. "These nightmares have plagued me, every waking moment and every one asleep. They are terrible. I've seen my friends die and…" Lucy's voice trailed off, hinting that she could not bear explain. That cued Natsu to glance at the papers in his hand. His eyes widened in shock.

"Why didn't you tell anyone? We could have helped." Natsu inquired.

"I know! But I was scared to. All my childhood, Father shrugged off anything, no matter how large or small. I had to pretend to be happy. I was afraid that it would happen again." Lucy wiped her red eyes.

"Why don't you…" Natsu said blushing. "Sleep next to me tonight. That might help."

"He lllikes her" said Happy, rolling his tongue in the way that annoys Lucy.

"Shut up." Grumbled Natsu.

By then, both Natsu and Lucy were blushing. "I mean, I guess, maybe, um, sure. " A very flustered Lucy said. Natsu scooted over, making enough room for another person on his red mat. Both were rigid at first, but as the night wore on and they fell asleep, Natsu and Lucy warmed up to each other.

Once everyone was asleep, the dreams began. It started the same, with Lucy being sacrificed, but this time, Natsu was with her. He wasn't stuck in oblivion like in the dream prior. From the way Natsu frantically clutched Lucy, you could tell that he wasn't prepared. Unlike Lucy's fears, he didn't shove her away, or tell her not to bug him. No, he suffered alongside her, and soon, much sooner than usual, the nightmare stopped. This time, another one didn't take its place. What did however, were feelings. Feelings for Natsu, Lucy realized. He was her first real friend, nay, he was more than that. He was her best friend.

Ever since that night, Natsu was with Lucy every night, until one day, the nightmares stopped. For the first time, Lucy had a restful sleep alone. But it just wasn't the same. She pondered going to Natsu, but decided against it.

_Actually, what do I want? I hate to admit it, but I miss Natsu. His warmth… helps in so many ways. Oh, what do I want to- _a sudden knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.

"Who could that be? It's fairly late." Lucy wondered aloud.

She was about to open the door when it was thrown open and into her face.

"Oh, sorry Lucy." Natsu said, grinning that maniacal grin that drove Lucy crazy.

Lucy stared at him in shock. She hadn't expected this at all. Then she realized something that she had always pushed back. Something that she had tried to doubt since she first met the guy. She couldn't push it down now, she couldn't. She tried to restrain herself, but to no prevail. She thrust herself forward and kissed Natsu, startling both of them. Lucy pulled away, eyes downcast, face redder than Erza's hair.

Natsu's response was even more shocking: he kissed her back.

_I guess, maybe it took a while to admit it, but I guess, everyone is right. We DO like each other…_ Lucy thought giddily, feeling like an ecstatic little girl. _But what now?_ That thought got a result quickly. Lucy yawned.

"Let's get to bed, Natsu. We got a job to do tomorrow." Natsu grinned, and climbed into bed next to his friend.

Things went on like that, with the two of them unsure of what to do. They were happy, and both knew that they loved each other, however they didn't date. Kissing occasionally seemed to be enough. They acted no differently in public; mainly they weren't sure about anything. Lucy pondered asking a friend, but was too embarrassed and flustered. Natsu tried asking her out, but couldn't figure out how. They stayed like that for a while, stuck in a limbo, until one day everything changed.

"Wendy, can you give this paper to Lucy?" Erza said, handing a job flyer to the blue haired child. Tell her that the train to Hargeon leaves at one o'clock tomorrow. Grey's on his way to Natsu's house now, actually. "

"You got it, Erza-san!" replied Wendy in an excited tone. "And it's a big reward, too. Lucy-san will be very happy. 1 million Jewel!"

Erza smiled. "I have a feeling she'll like this one."

Wendy walked off, with Carla in pursuit.

Some time later, at around 9:00pm, Wendy arrived at Lucy's house. Just as she was about to knock, she heard a voice coming from inside. It was Natsu.

_That's strange._ The sky dragon slayer thought. _Natsu is in her house, but Lucy hasn't kicked him out yet. Or maybe in 3… 2… 1… nothing. Weird._

Quietly, oh so quietly, the poor soul cracked the door open. What she saw was utterly mind boggling. She saw Natsu, asleep in Lucy's bed. Ok, that part was normal. What surprised her was the fact that Lucy was in that same bed. Then, she saw Lucy-

_No!_ Wendy's innocent little mind screamed._ This can't be happening._ With that, she snatched a random pen, scribbled a little note in the flyer, hastily shoved it into the room and ran. Never had such a creature run so fast. Wendy ran as though she was fleeing for her life, which might not be too far from the truth.

"What's wrong? You seem off today, Wendy." Erza asked the child. When silence was the only reply, she added hastily, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"I'd love to tell you, but it was never my business anyways…" Wendy said, glancing over at her friend, now reading a novel Levy had written.

"It's ok. But did you at least tell Lucy about the job? Gray went to Natsu's house, but neither him nor Happy were home."

"Umm… yes. She got it." Was the hasty answer. Wendy then walked up to Lucy.

"Oh, hi Wendy! What's up?" Lucy said once she noticed her friend as she closed Levy's book.

"Lucy-san, um, last night, I saw you…" Wendy confessed, blushing at the sight of her two friends. Lucy's face became flushed. "And Natsu… in bed, together. I saw you…" her voice trailed off, too embarrassed to go on.

"Ooh, did you do it with Natsu?" Cana said, butting into the private conversation as if it concerned her. She was trying to stifle a smile by covering her mouth with her hand.

At this comment two things happened simultaneously. Lucy's face became so red, it really stuck out. Also, at that moment, Natsu decided to walk into the guild. He saw Lucy's face and Cana's expression, and then he whirled around and walked out.

"No, don't get the wrong idea… though what happened I guess was just as bad… I just kissed him, that's all."

At that point, the entire guild, who was listening in, became silent. Erza looked at Lucy with an expression of shock, happiness, and utter disbelief.

Natsu then walked back in. when he saw the entire guild staring, he walked right back out again.

"Natsu… and Lucy… a couple? The apocalypse must be happening for them to finally admit it!" Cried Elfman.

"We've all basically been waiting for this to happen. It's pretty obvious about how you feel for each other. When did you finally realize it?" Mira said sweetly

"Well, a few months ago, when we were out on a job together I guess is when it started." Lucy then told the story. How she had nightmares, how Natsu let her sleep next to him, how they eventually kissed each other. Everyone was so caught up in her story that no one noticed Natsu slink in.

When she was done the guild emitted a collective 'awww'. Suddenly, Lucy felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked at its owner and smiled. Behind her was Natsu, wearing that cocky grin of his.

Within minutes, the guild was back to normal, as loud and rowdy as ever. In midst of that chaos, two people finally became more than friends.


End file.
